Press release from Special Olympics Indiana

(Indianapolis, Ind.) - Special Olympics Indiana announced that hundreds of Special Olympics athletes and volunteers throughout the state will be participating in various acts of service on Saturday, September 25 in honor of Eunice Kennedy Shriver (EKS) Day.  Participants from Special Olympics Indiana – Ripley-Ohio-Dearborn Counties have planned an activity locally in remembrance of Shriver’s passion for service.

The athlete leaders from Special Olympics Indiana – Ripley-Ohio-Dearborn Counties will hold a canned food drive from 9 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday at the Kroger stores in Batesville and Lawrenceburg in honor of Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day.  The proceeds will benefit the YES Home and the Sisters of St. Francis in Oldenburg.

This worldwide day of remembrance is in memory of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of the Special Olympics Movement and leading international advocate for the rights of people with intellectual disabilities.  In 2008, awarding her the first “Sportsman of the Year Legacy Award,” Sports Illustrated called her “…one of those revolutionaries who saw opportunity where others saw barriers, someone who started a movement and changed a world.”

“For more than half a century, until her passing in 2009, Eunice Kennedy Shriver was an indomitable champion for those among us who have been neglected and ignored for too long,” said Michael Furnish, President / CEO of Special Olympics Indiana.  “Her love for all people, her believe in justice and her relentlessly energetic pursuit of a better life for people with intellectual disabilities serves as an example for us all.”

 “To celebrate her legacy here in Indiana, we have decided to make EKS Day a day of service throughout the state,” said Furnish.  “To honor her vision, we are inviting athlete leaders to implement their own service projects in their communities on September 25.

Athletes from more than 10 county Special Olympics Indiana Programs have organized acts of service commemorating Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day.  For a full listing of events, visit www.soindiana.org.

About Special Olympics Indiana

Special Olympics Indiana is a not-for-profit organization that provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in more than 20 Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, reaching more than 11,000 athletes across Indiana.  The organization receives no federal- or state-appropriated funds, is not a United Way agency and relies entirely on corporate, civic and individual donations.  For more information about Special Olympics Indiana, call (317) 328-2000 or visit www.soindiana.org.